Baking and Pastry Arts

Program Description

Take exceptional instructors with backgrounds in traditional and contemporary baking and pastry arts from around the world, add state-of-the-art training facilities and a progressive curriculum, and you get the top Baking and Pastry Arts program in Canada.

If you have baked all of your life, have an artistic flair and are interested in creating magic with elegant dessert showpieces, we can help take your passion to the next level. A career in baking and pastry arts will have you balancing exact measurements and chemistry on one hand, while using your imagination and creativity to develop exciting new recipes on the other.

In an industry experiencing high demand, graduates from SAIT’s Baking and Pastry Arts program are well prepared for a diverse range of career options after graduation. In this technical discipline, the craft of pastry is teamed with the art of baking, sugar artistry and fine artisanal chocolate production.

At SAIT, we focus on your success through a personalized approach, small class sizes, plenty of hands-on training and exciting new facility upgrades. Our labs are state-of-the-art and include a specialized chocolate lab and downtown Culinary Campus.

During this full-time two year diploma program, you will be trained in baking fundamentals and advanced baking practices. The program covers yeast goods, artisan breads, pastries, sugar artistry, chocolate, special occasion and wedding cakes, flans, tortes and much more. You will also learn important management skills on food regulations, customer service, costing, pricing, merchandising and starting your own business.

Hands-on, production environment

Our main goal is to prepare you for the real world in a hands-on, production-style environment. Over your two-year education, you will receive about 1,400 practical training hours in the bakery labs. You’ll learn step-by-step tactics and come away knowing best practices, as well as practical strategies to implement in the real world. You will also have the chance to feature your talents by baking bread and pastry products to sell in our gourmet retail food outlets including the renowned Highwood restaurant, the Market Place and the downtown Culinary Campus.

Learn from top instructors from around the world

In addition to learning the science of baking, our instructors will also inspire your creativity. The highly distinguished instructors in the Baking and Pastry Arts program are truly second to none. Their diverse backgrounds and specialties range from executive pastry chefs from top hotels in New York, Hawaii and Bermuda, to local, entrepreneurial bakers.

Professional paid internship and study tours

Between your first and second year of study, you will get to apply your skills in a professional paid internship. In addition to gaining experience in a real-world environment, internships provide valuable connections and opportunities to network with future employers.

As a student, you can also take advantage of exciting international study tours. Previous tour locations have included France, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

Work toward becoming a certified journeyman baker

Students who successfully complete the baking diploma can choose to write the journeyman baker exam. To become a certified journeyman baker, students must complete additional required employment hours.

Program Overview

Fast Facts

Your Career

You will be prepared for a diverse range of career options in baking and pastry arts after graduation. You may find work locally or abroad as a(n):

Pastry Chef

Specialty Cake Decorator

Bakery Manager

Retail Baker

Chocolatier

Entrepreneur

Did you know graduates of the Baking and Pastry Arts program have a 96% employment rate?

Student Success

Keep in mind hospitality industry hours can range from early morning to late in the evening and often include holidays.

The baking and pastry industry is a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a focus on quality and customer service. You should be able to handle stressful situations appropriately (e.g., dealing with a line-up of customers).

You will be required to groom and dress according to industry expectations while in your practical training.

You must be in good physical condition for this demanding trade where you will be on your feet for long hours, doing repetitive production work.

Most successful students spend approximately 20 hours per week doing homework and review, with additional study required to prepare for exams.

The material is presented at a fairly rapid rate. For the greatest level of success you must be present and take responsibility for your learning experience.

You must be able to read, write and comprehend the English language at a level exceeding basic conversational English.

Students with higher grades in high school usually experience more success in SAIT programs.

Credentials

After successfully completing this program, graduates will receive a SAIT diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Accreditation

Students are encouraged to write all three periods of the Alberta Journeyman Baker exams after they have successfully completed the corresponding courses in the first and second year of the Baking and Pastry Arts diploma program.

Progression

Students must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better in each semester and pass the necessary prerequisite courses to progress through the program. To qualify for graduation, students must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Admission Requirements

A minimum of 50% in the following courses or their equivalents:

English Language Arts 10-1 or 10-2, AND,

Math 10C or Math 10-3 or Pure Math 10 or Applied Math 10.

All applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada.

Semester 5

Total Credits 63

Student Success

Keep in mind hospitality industry hours can range from early morning to late in the evening and often include holidays.

The baking and pastry industry is a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a focus on quality and customer service. You should be able to handle stressful situations appropriately (e.g., dealing with a line-up of customers).

You will be required to groom and dress according to industry expectations while in your practical training.

You must be in good physical condition for this demanding trade where you will be on your feet for long hours, doing repetitive production work.

Most successful students spend approximately 20 hours per week doing homework and review, with additional study required to prepare for exams.

The material is presented at a fairly rapid rate. For the greatest level of success you must be present and take responsibility for your learning experience.

You must be able to read, write and comprehend the English language at a level exceeding basic conversational English.

Students with higher grades in high school usually experience more success in SAIT programs.